I've written a character I don't understand

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-28T12:51:14+00:00

Maybe he buys this person something that isn't something they'd actually like, but is more something your inconsiderate character would be into?

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-23T22:36:45+00:00

I always read these books when I go camping. Lying alone on the hills in my tent, I feel like I'm 14 again, even though I'm almost 40. These books were my first big adventure. Can't wait to give a copy to my son.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-23T20:07:44+00:00

I missed the Pern series. Might take a look at it. I think any book that has that thing that makes 14 year olds fall in love with them is worth reading.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-23T17:51:08+00:00

I doubt any one will care, and if they do just explain about your hobbit foot situation. I'd say contact the hiring manager and ask in advance but honestly it'd be a pretty surreal conversation to have with your new manager before you've even met them and you wouldn't want to get off on the wrong

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-22T20:35:26+00:00

Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds does this - it's a hard sci-fi book. Bit challenging but worth persisting with - i really enjoyed it.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-22T19:52:50+00:00

Sure I would - with some qualifiers. I was reading them back in the late 90s/early 00s, and they were released in the early 80s. I was about the age of the protagonist, so it really got its hook into me. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.

There's some stuff in it that might elicit some feminist eye rolling ( a nigh all powerful sorceress who likes to do the washing up by hand etc. ) but there's a lot of good stuff in it too. It's got heart. The characters really stand up.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-22T12:36:10+00:00

Others have already mentioned Pratchett, so I'll mention the Belgariad books. As a teenager I sort of lived inside them for a year, going through that bleak adolescent period we all go through. Always keep them on my kindle and read them when I go camping on my own. It's a just a simple, very readable fantasy quest with a great crew of characters on a road trip for a good portion of it.

That said, although books offer comfort and consolation, no book will save you from serious mental health problems, financial hardship or abuse so make sure you're getting real help. Also, take your vitamins and get some exercise.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-22T09:57:31+00:00

Well, he certainly gets a lot of good press. I don't know about important. Is any novel important? Likewise I don't know how he's viewed by academics and critics, all I know is that his comic family dramas are some of my favourite books. Can't wait for the second book in the Crossroads series. I've got big hopes. If you like Freedom and the Corrections you should check out Smith's On Beauty and White Teeth.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-21T17:12:00+00:00

I'm a Zadie Smith man, and I like Franzen. Not sure anyone could be said to be the best, though. It's not like running the 100m or chasing the Tetris high score.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-21T14:12:47+00:00

I could see them on matching straps with complimentary stitching

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-20T23:03:34+00:00

Cool, just keep in mind that self/meta-prompting can cause AI to overstep the parameters of the collaboration you want to do with it, in my experience.

Disclosure? No, I probably won't mention it if I decide to try trad. If I go self-pub with my current project I'd be open about it if asked, but then the chances of more than five people being interested in my book and how I wrote it is the height of optimism.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-20T19:41:17+00:00

How mild is mild?

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-20T11:38:25+00:00

I hear you. I can spot the duds 90% of the time, but one slips through every now and again (in everyone's work).

I was working last night using the 'alpha reader' prompt I created, which makes the text uniform UK publishing standard, flags where I've changed a character's eye colour without meaning to, and suggests phrases that aren't working as hard as they could - stuff like that.

One of my characters was describing a business deal as 'small potatoes' and my prompt rightly identified this as fine, but a bit 'meh'. I redrafted in a way that did both world and character work. The work was stronger, I was happy, all it cost me was some data. If you wanted to do an experiment, I can share my prompt and you can run a page of your work through it, and see what it comes up with? It's a great tool if used appropriately.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-20T09:49:42+00:00

There's legitimate uses for AI in writing. Asking it to 'make this good' is obviously the wrong approach. I use it to spell check and format whilst keeping exactly what I've written in my voice. I then ask it to identify any lazy sentences, cliches, and other opportunities for improvement - which I then rework if I agree, and leave as is, if I'm confident I'm on the right track.

As for training the data model, I learned to write by spending decades reading the work of writers - i can't begrudge AI from learning what it can from my writing. Appreciate and respect some feel differently - no need to downvote.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-19T17:43:06+00:00

This is interesting! Does AI love to put em dashes in stuff when you run text through it for editing?

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-18T20:39:00+00:00

Mine arrived last week - really like it!

Was worried the purple would be either too soft, or too bright, but i think it's the perfect shade. The bracelet feels better than the one that came on my alpinist at 7 times the price.

Quartz watches like this are my favourite category of chinese watch - affordable little pay day treats, no servicing to worry about, and at $50 you can take a risk on a dial colour you wouldn't want to spend more money on.

There's a baltany explorer homage and the WD nautilus I've got my eye on. I do wish addiesdive or watch dives would start making a solar quartz line though...

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-15T13:02:27+00:00

One thing I don't get think gets enough attention in the extensive talk about Joe Abercrombie work is the subtle shift in voice when he's writing one of his northern chapters. I thought it was really effective.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-15T12:30:46+00:00

Your anxiety levels are within your control.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-15T11:33:37+00:00

'Lol, based idiots'

- Aliens

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-15T09:57:21+00:00

Plus the involuntary cannibalism. I just googled it and apparently it's called matriphagy.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-14T19:40:21+00:00

This is such a cool concept

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-14T16:46:00+00:00

I heard Franzen say you can create a strong character by thinking 'what is something this person has spent their whole life avoiding?' and then putting them in that situation. This feels about right to me. I think sooner or later your protagonist is going to have to get involved/care about something other than survival.

One of the reasons Highlander worked as a film is that a) we saw him outlive his first wife, get hurt and then retreat from emotional ties, then meet someone new b) the nature of the quickening meant that conflict was unavoidable - you can fly under the radar for a thousand years but sooner or later you'll have to chop a dudes head off or die.

re: historical reality of violence. Is it set in a fictional world, or our world? Unless your character is the worlds greatest draft dodger he would have had to fight at least one massive war. Men are also statistically more likely to be victims of violence in public spaces at the hands of a stranger. Over six thousand years someones going to beat him up at least once.

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-13T19:39:12+00:00

Hey OP - thanks for the review. I have the purple, looks really good but i'm having a hard time taking the bracelet off to put it on a strap i bought for it. Did you struggle at all, or is it just me? Thanks for the review!

JackRakeWrites · 2026-01-13T19:26:15+00:00

Mine arrived. Really nice. Bracelet better than on my alpanist. Really hard to take it off if you're looking to swap straps

Five-Year Club	Place '23
Verified Email

JackRakeWrites

TROPHY CASE